Leadership
A Sincere Apology
I need to apologize to our entire church family.
Today during one of our services I inappropriately ‘called out’ and corrected two teenagers who I felt were being a distraction. My comments were off target, made in anger, and reflect poorly on the values of Rock Bridge. There is no excuse for this from me or from God’s pulpit. I have spoken with and apologized to the specific family but now I need to do so to our entire church.
Our church has a core value of Christ-like acceptance and my words and their tone violated this foundational principle of Rock Bridge. Additionally, they created an “unwelcoming” atmosphere and uncomfortable moment in our service. We strongly believe that only the Spirit-brought conviction of God should make anyone ever feel uncomfortable at RBCC, not our actions or words. I apologize to all of you and any guests who may have been with you.
A second core value our church shares is radical dependence on God and His Word. We believe that only God can change people and author salvation in their lives. We believe He does this in large part through the sharing and teaching of His Word. Today, I incorrectly believed that my particular method of presenting and communicating God’s Word was more important and more powerful than the simple message of His Word. My dependence was not on God or His Word but on myself and my presentation; that is sinful. As a result, I took the attention off God and His truth. I apologize for the negative effect on your worship experience.
I am deeply sorry for my words and the anger behind them. Along with our elders, our staff, and my wife, I will seek to repent, resolve anger biblically, choose words wisely, and rest in the sufficiency of God’s grace.
Today, I need to ask for your forgiveness.
Matt Evans
A Blog to Catch-up
So much has happened in the past 5 days that I felt like a quick blog just to catch-up would be worth it. From storm relief to the death of Osama to “How is Beth?” and the launch of a new series … here goes:
STORM RELIEF
The loss and grief is almost hard to bear, especially when this is home or so close to home. Please continue to pray for God’s comfort, strength, and hope to be alive in these affected areas.
The response of supplies and volunteers (and the necessary coordination efforts) have been amazing. Rock Bridge, we are BEING the church. You can stay updated via our web site and Facebook pages.
OSAMA’S DEATH
This blog post by Pastor J.D. Greear is worth the read. ”Thinking About Osama”
NEW SERIES: MODERN FAMILY
It appears Part 1 of this series struck a nerve in our church. I’m praying for all the conversations taking place right now, asking God to bring clarity and courage into families, marriages, and singles. I’ll address some questions that have already been raised at the start of Part 2 this weekend. This is a great series to invite a guest and to make sure your WHOLE family is in church! Please pray that God’s Word is made clear and God’s Spirit works in all our lives. I know some of what we have (and will) cover will be uncomfortable and challenging at times; however, if we keep our eyes on God, lean into His grace, and follow Him no matter what … it will be worth it!!
HOW IS BETH?
Still fighting the Epstein-Barr Virus which at times makes her very uncomfortable. We think the doctors will remove her tonsils on Friday since the bulk of the infection is in that area. We need prayer for healing, for comfort, and for strength. Someone called me several months ago and quoted a Scripture in a voice message to me that has been the basis for how I pray for her.
Isaiah 41:10-13 {NIV}
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. “All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
What You Don’t See
Watching ducks can be a fairly peaceful and entertaining experience. They are beautiful, naturals in the water, and can twist their necks almost 360 degrees (which is a skill I’d like to have). However, what we normally don’t see is below the surface of the water where ducks’ feet are pretty busy “paddling”. In other words, “there is more than meets the eye” to a duck; it takes more than what we see to make a duck … well, a duck.
This is especially true in a local church. We see preachers and singers. We see buildings and bulletins. But just like our friend the duck, it takes (way) more to make a church … well, a church.
What most people don’t see are the people who prepare the bulletins, pick-up the trash, mix the sound, manage the lighting controls, run the computers, pray during the services, make the volunteer schedules, put out the signs, check the batteries in the microphones, call the first-time guests, send out letters, count the offering, make meals for the sick and bereaved, visit the sick, teach the children, change the diapers (I know my son’s can be particularly nasty, sorry), hang out with the teenagers, check the toilets (and toilet paper), lead the small groups, organize the prayer requests, send out the prayer list, answer the phones … you get the idea.
So I want to acknowledge and thank those members of the church that we don’t normally see, encourage, or appreciate. Thank you for making the church function. Thank you for doing what needs to be done with grace, humility, and excellence. Thank you for giving without expecting. Thank you for serving without selfishness. What would we be without you?? One thing is for sure, we would not be a church. So …
thank you for BEING the church!
Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
Romans 12:4-5 {NLT}
My Open Letter to Rock Bridge
The past few weeks have been some of the toughest of my life as we learned about Beth’s diagnosis of MDS and now move toward a bone marrow transplant in NYC. Part of the difficulty is that Beth has had to temporarily give up her calling into vocational ministry. As a couple who share this call to ministry and a deep love for God’s church, we have always lived with the tension that exists between our marriage, our ministry, and our children. For eight years we have sought to maintain a healthy, albeit delicate balance between these areas of our life. Often the balance tilted toward ministry and the church we started together … and we understood that as part of the calling, part of the joy, part of the challenge, and part of the privilege of full-time, vocational ministry.
However, for the foreseeable future we must tilt that balance the other direction to our family and fighting (and beating!) MDS. For Beth it means a long period of medical leave from ministry. For me it means my ministry at Rock Bridge will be limited as I serve and support Beth during this time. While I will still be the Lead Pastor and preach as much as possible, I will not be as involved in pastoral care, leading our staff, or executing our vision as I normally am. The great news is we have a tremendous staff, a clear vision, Elders who are servant-leaders, and a God who is committed to building His church!!
For portions of Beth’s time and treatment in NYC, I will be spending most days with her and a few days each week at home (lots of flying in my future!). There will be other times when I will need to be with Beth for several weeks in a row. All of this is subject to change as we learn about the details of Beth’s treatment and how she responds. Our boys will mostly stay at our house with their uncle and aunt or their grandparents.
During this period I will be teaching “live” less and we will be using “video” teaching more often in the Wink Theatre (Dalton Campus). I will also be reducing the number of times I preach (I typically teach 45-48 times per year and would expect that number to drop to 36-42 times over the next 12 months). Alfred Turley, our Executive Pastor, will be overseeing and leading our church on a daily and weekly basis. Our Student Ministry staff is a strong team with a good plan and solid vision. Our Elders will still be the “guardians” of our vision and resources while serving as the “discerners” who help navigate our church to fulfill our mission and glorify Christ.
I mentioned a few weeks ago during a “church chat” that I was more excited about God’s work through Rock Bridge now than at any other time in our history … I still am! Our church’s renewed commitment to fulfill and obey God’s Great Commission through increased missions giving and going, greater dependence on His Holy Spirit through intentional prayer, and planting more small groups is exciting and God-honoring.
Even though our roles at Rock Bridge are necessarily changing for the time being and our primary focus has shifted to Beth’s healing, our hearts and our prayers are with the church we love so much. We still believe God works miracles. We still believe He will do more than we ask for or imagine (Eph. 3:20-21). We still are amazed at His grace. And we still believe the church is the hope of the world!!
Matt
Announcement: Staffing Changes
We’ve been working through major reviews of how our church is staffed and organized since early 2010. We realized we were operating based on a model that no longer fit our church’s size and composition. Then this summer we have been working to address several resignations of team members, notably Children’s Minister and the Groups Minister.
After much discussion between staff, elders, and church members we have a few decisions to announce that will greatly help our church become more effective at our mission of glorifying God by connecting people from all walks of life to life in Christ!!
Alfred Turley is now our Executive Pastor
Alfred now officially oversees all of the day-to-day operations of our church and staff. He is tasked with executing and coordinating the vision & mission of the church. Personally, this helps me to remain focused on strategic vision, preaching & teaching, and seeking God in prayer. For the rest of our staff, Alfred becomes their chief advocate, working to resolve challenges, maximize effectiveness & efficiency, and get things done. In a church our size, it had become very difficult for me on a day-to-day basis to supervise & assist our staff, but also to coordinate the various “moving parts” between multiple departments and campuses. This approach underserved our staff and overburdened me (see Acts 6:1-7 for a biblical example). We were not operating very efficiently or effectively to advance God’s mission or serve our church. This move puts our church and our staff in a better position to fulfill our mission.
Alfred is a man of God who seeks God daily. He is a servant leader who loves Jesus radically. I believe our church, our staff, our mission, and God’s kingdom will be well served with Alfred as our Executive Pastor.
Brian Holt will move from Technical Director to Director of Small Groups
For some time Brian has been sensing God calling him out of technical work and into ministry/pastoral roles where he can help disciple and develop people to live for Christ. For some time, myself and others have been impressed with Brian’s leadership capacity, ability to empower volunteers, and his desire to learn.
When the Groups position opened, Brian expressed his interest. We have seen Brian do a great job of recruiting and equipping people to serve and serve with passion, excitement, and excellence in our technical areas. As several people prayed about this and discussed it, we began to sense that Brian had the call from God, the passion for God’s work at Rock Bridge, and the strengths needed in our Groups ministry.
Additionally, our church was facing a lengthy and expensive search process to locate a Groups Pastor at a point in time when we do not the luxury of time and money. We need strong leadership over groups now. Brian is a strong leader who loves helping people experience God through ministry & community. We need someone who is 100% committed to Jesus and Rock Bridge; Brian’s commitment is probably more like 120%!!
However, because of the importance of our technical ministry to our church’s mission, Brian will not begin his new role until his replacement is hired onto our team.
Please pray for our staff. None of us has ever been a part of church that has grown this rapidly or seen such amazing life change. We know it is all God and we love the journey with Him. Our inexperience keeps us dependent on God and protects us from pride & arrogance. We know we don’t know … so we seek to know Him, live for Him, and serve Him by the power He so graciously gives.
What I Learned at the Tennessee Aquarium
Last Monday we took Eyasu and Abreham to the Tennessee Aquarium. Eyasu loved the penguins and Abreham loved looking at the fish. We had a great time. However, I couldn’t help but notice some things beyond the animals, fish, and birds …
1. Great environments attract crowds.
Downtown Chattanooga used to be a rough place and definitely not a place for families. Through visionary leadership and bold leadership the aquarium was planned and built. Downtown Chattanooga began transforming into a pro-family, pro-business, pro-community environment. It is a case of “if you build it, they will come.” However, I think it is more a case of if you build the right environment they will come. Families want safe, fun, clean places to go. Kids want to discover new things. Businesses want to be well located. The aquarium helped create perfect conditions for these things to occur.
As I think about the church, I believe strongly that the un-churched are open to a safe, welcoming place to hear about biblical truth in understandable ways. They want to explore and discover without fear of condemnation and rejection.
On the other side, the past 8 years have shown me that active Christians want a place to bring or invite their un-churched friends to attend. They want to bring people to church and help them begin steps of faith.
Like the leaders who brought the aquarium to Chattanooga, we in the church must constantly evaluate how to create environments that address the spiritual “itch” of our culture, bringing God’s truth to people who are searching for it.
2. Great service helps a crowd become committed.
The aquarium staff and volunteers are well-trained and generally proud of their work, proud of their mission, and focused on the people that come. One lady shared with me some “insider” knowledge about when they fed the sharks because she wanted to maximize my experience (I’m sure she shared it with others too). The staff took note that we had young children and offered special assistance and help. The result this “above and beyond” service? People keep coming back and they tell others about their experience. In other words, they become more than a crowd … they become committed. I talked with one patron who has season passes! I mean seriously, how much fish can you take? But it’s not just about fish. It’s about a positive experience created by an attractive environment that is staffed by passionate people.
What makes a church effective is so much more than good music, good programs (or ministries), or good preaching. Ultimately, it is people who touch and impact other people. In Acts, God always worked through people to impact other people. The result? A crowd was attracted and many became committed to Christ.
3. Don’t underestimate the power and potential of volunteers.
I was amazed at how many volunteers the aquarium used. They were everywhere and doing a lot of jobs that you would think “deserved a pay check.” But apparently, the aquarium is able to recruit and deploy volunteers, and the quality of the experience does not suffer … in fact, it is enhanced.
The church over the years has gravitated more and more to letting the so-called “professional” Christians do the work. Lay people think they aren’t qualified and staff members think they are the only ones who can do it and do it right. But when you read Ephesians 4:11-12 you realize the church is to be run and built by its members who are equipped and empowered by its staff! If a big fish tank through great leadership and an exciting vision, can empower volunteers so effectively … just think what the church that Jesus Christ founded can and should do through its people!?!?!
Staff Transitions: Groups
One of my great friends and partners in ministry, Jay Ashlock, has decided to step down as our Pastor of Discipleship/Small Groups. After seeking God’s wisdom, he felt the best move for him and his family at this time in their lives would be to move out of vocational ministry and back into public education.
Jay will be missed on our staff. Personally, I will miss his friendship, advice, and encouragement that I was blessed to enjoy almost daily for over a year. His love for Jesus, passion for Rock Bridge, compassion for people, and incredible wisdom bring much glory to God. But Jay will continue to offer himself to God … just on a different platform. He will still serve as a volunteer and be an active part of Rock Bridge.
What is next for Rock Bridge groups and our staff?
We have moved immediately to begin seeking our next Discipleship/Groups Pastor. We have decided to partner with a ministry/church search firm, the Vanderbloemen Search Group, to help us find God’s person for this important position. All resumes will be submitted to them and they will help us identify a final slate of 4-6 candidates to pray over, interview, and hopefully call as our next Discipleship Pastor (email: resumes@vanderbloemensearch.com listing Rock Bridge Community Church).
In the meantime, Megan Pulver (megan@rockbridge.cc) will be the main “go to” and contact person for our groups ministry. Campus Pastors and others on staff will assist her and anyone seeking information about small groups. You can always find group information at lobby spaces before and after our services.
Leadership Ruminations: 2-year Summary
Last week I wrapped up a 2-year journey with other pastors in a group put together by Leadership Network. This type of experience was new to me but something I needed. As I reflect back on the journey, here’s some things that come to mind:
- Leaders must pay attention not only to the organizational health but also the emotional health of the teams they lead.
- Churches must continue to take risks for the sake of the Gospel.
- Pastors must not use “guilt” to motivate and lead their congregations. {Larry Osborne famously calls this “drive-by guiltings“}
- We can’t confuse methodology with theology. Methods will always change while our theology (beliefs) should never change.
- We have to have margin (space) in our lives to be effective. God gave us the Sabbath for a reason. We need margin emotionally, relationally, and in our schedules.
- The financial landscape of America is changed for the foreseeable future. How will this affect giving in the church? It will require more visionary leadership. For example, candidate Barack Obama raised more money than any other presidential candidate in history during the worst recession in recent memory. People will give to causes they believe in … what cause is greater than the cause of Christ?
- Churches must develop new and younger leaders. ”Young eagles” must be allowed to fly. What are we doing to develop the “future” leadership of Rock Bridge?
- Student ministry is perhaps the most difficult “ministry nut” to crack today in the church. Why? Because it is becoming less & less about the program of ministry and more & more about significant relationships facilitated by the ministry with adults and other students {This is our model at RBCC!!}
- Multi-site and multi-venues are here to stay. In a resource challenged world, they are excellent ways to multiple the impact of the church.
- More churches will use the concept “volunteer” staff to meet the demands of ministry. Retirees, college students, interns, and those who have a “passion” to work in the local church will fill these roles as their time allows. Volunteer staff will not be paid in the traditional sense; they will be paid with official positions, positive experiences & compelling ministry opportunities, insider influence, and perhaps even a desk or office or other “perk”.
- As churches grow, the pastor has to lead more and do less.
- We must be comfortable being ourselves, living secure in our identity in Christ.
Whose Approval Am I After?
Let’s face it, we are all approval addicts. We want to be accepted, approved, and validated. The two big questions we must ask are “Where do we go to get the approval we so desperately want?” and “What is the cost of gaining that approval?”
Most of the time we look to other people for this approval and much of the time this will lead us to compromise a conviction, change our beliefs (to fit in), or be manipulated by the fear and insecurity of losing someone’s approval.
The Bible warns in Proverbs 29:25 that “fear of man will prove to be a snare [a trap] but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” In other words, only in God do we find the approval, acceptance, and security our hearts want and need. And the good news is this … that because of Jesus we have God’s approval and acceptance!!
So how does this shake out in our lives?
- It means that we can obsess and stress over what others think about us and therefore, forget what God thinks about us.
- It means criticism must be filtered through God’s Word more than the sting of the critic.
- It means I can labor endlessly in a futile attempt to please everyone or I can rest peacefully in the pleasure of God’s unfailing love.
- It means that sometimes relationships will be lost as you follow God’s leading and pursue His mission.
- It means that your source of approval will ultimately be the authority in your life.
As a young church planter/pastor, many times I stressed over what people thought of me, the sermon, our church, etc. I was easily shaken and upset. People’s opinions & comments were where I sought approval causing me to make some mistakes, forget who I am in Christ, and at times disregard the voice of God.
To overcome this I had to develop some basic principles, and here’s what they are:
- I must preach “the whole counsel of God” and do it “in season and out” which won’t always be popular or well-received.
- I must have sources of wise counsel and accountability in my life whose voices I can trust as either encouragement or constructive criticism (Thankfully, I have incredible Elders, a staff that seeks to hear from God, and a godly wife).
- The bottom line for me is to obey God. Beth & I never would have started Rock Bridge if we took a poll or listened to our critics (and there were/are a lot).
- I will listen to critics and what people have to say, seek to learn, practice humility, but those voices do not have the final say … God does. Therefore, all voices must be filtered by God’s Word, godly counsel, and prayer.
- I will readily admit when I am wrong, sin against another, or make a mistake and seek forgiveness.
- I am who God says I am, period (I Corinthians 15:10).
No Room for Egos
I’ve noticed a trend at Rock Bridge … people with big egos don’t usually stick around at our church. We’ve had lots of people come through our doors hungry for God, for hope, for purpose, for truth, and for a way to serve … and by God’s grace many have found those things through RBCC. However, some people have come to Rock Bridge looking for a way to feed their own ego and they see our church as a way to achieve that goal.
By that I mean they do not want to submit to what God is doing in and through Rock Bridge, but rather they want the church to submit to their particular idea, issue, or pet project as a condition of their membership, service, involvement, or approval. Not that new ideas and initiatives are not welcome (they are), but they first must be filtered through our vision and core values. If it passes the “vision” test, then it must also be the right time in our church’s history, which we discover through prayer and obtaining wise counsel.
So how do you spot an “ego”?
- The person who introduces themselves by giving their extensive resume.
- The person who is quick to point out what they think your church lacks (usually it is something they could provide, but not something God requires).
- The person who wants to jump into leadership right away (or sing a solo) without taking the time to submit, serve, and learn.
- The person who will not listen or take the time to learn what God is uniquely up to in your church … because they believe they are the “magic bullet” for your church’s needs.
- The person who think it should be “one way” (i.e. “their way”) and gets upset, threatens to quit, or leaves when it is done another way.
“Ego” has been checked and left behind when …
- Their attitude and actions are defined by the question, “How can I help?”
- Told “No” or “Not now”, they submit and exhibit a positive attitude.
- They quietly serve and seek direction from God BEFORE seeking influence, leadership positions, or the “spotlight”.
Seven plus years ago we realized the danger of our “ego” and coined the phrase, “Leave your ego at the door … because ego equals “Edging God Out”. I’m thankful we did so we could hear God speak and submit to His voice, not our fleshly preferences, not-found-in-the-Bible traditions, or causes motivated by our pride. This means we sometimes have to say “No” to people whose ideas and suggestions are not born through prayer and are not motivated by God’s glory. This means they usually don’t stay around for long.